First Look at Frank Miller's Xerxes Probably Won't Thrill Iran
Three years ago, the screen adaptation of Frank Miller's brutal graphic novel 300 became a global smash. Or it was a smash everywhere but Iran, which somehow objected to the depiction of an androgynous, bedazzled Persian king Xerxes laying cruel waste to the scrappy, ab-happy Spartans. The ethnic implications seemed the least of moviegoers' concerns -- not to mention Miller's own, which have now returned to the mega-pierced monarch for the prequel Xerxes. The author still has a ways to go on the project, but I think we all know a movie adaptation is inevitable. As such, a first look at Xerxes -- who makes Mr. T look like the Dalai Lama -- clues us in to what will be pissing Iran off in the next two to three years.
For what it's worth, the LAT has Zack Snyder on the record affirming, ""If the book is awesome and compelling, then, yes, we're interested." ("We" = himself and 300 producer Thomas Tull.) And while Miller acknowledges that Xerxes will feature a more skeptical and/or mocking point of view on the Spartans, he dismissed any political influence on his perspective shift: "That's nonsense. This is a very different story, but when it comes to 300 I make no apologies whatsoever." Nevertheless:
"There is an aftermath that is like an extension of 300 because 300 ended so abruptly with all of them getting mowed down by arrows. I do get into what happened after that and what the entire thing means to Xerxes. Xerxes is a megalomaniac and takes everything as a sign of his godhood. I've known people like that."
Don't we all? Except those I've known haven't rocked Luftwaffe wings, narrow-slit murder-cat eyes, a gold G-string and about 200 pounds of chains, pasties and other jewelry. Maybe someday.
· Frank Miller returns to the '300' battlefield with 'Xerxes': 'I make no apologies whatsoever' [LAT]
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Furthermore they are upset that he has the character standing in front of the Van Halen logo, given the Iranian people are fiercely loyal to David Lee Roth.
Pass. Not enough shirtless dudes moving in extreme slow motion to NIN.
I am furious at this relentless assault on the name of Iran, the Persian culture and history. This is total and absolute desecration of historial, cultural and racial identity of Persian.
Xerxes was the father of all Aryan Kings, the purest bloodline of Aryans worldwide. The Persians were the inventors and masters of Metalcraft, Swordmanship, Horsmanship, Archery and Cavalery. They wrote the book on how to build an Empire. They created remarkable engineering, arts and preached a unique Spirituality.
Why such an attempt to depict him as a Negro from some primitive tribe in Africa. Why desecrate and distort and fabricate such lies?
Because this is all a propaganda warfare againt Iran.
And no, it is not just a COMIC.
Germans, Russians, Japanese and Arabs all had the misfortune of being on the wrong side of political avengers. Study of the movies made about all of these cultures depicted them as savages and fabricated distortions of facts and historical events. What makes Persians any different?
Questions: Who is supporting these trashes made in the name of entertainment? The members of the public pays for these fabricated malicious lies. They pay for the trashes. Who are the generators of these trash movies? Who are the shadowy figures behind the screens? Who benefits from declaring war on these cultures?
The same people who fabricated the image of Germans as savage barbarians.
Its obvious the movie business which of course is mostly run by Jews will do whatever it takes to malign Iran. No mention in Hollywood of the fact that Iran is a sophisticated nation with a 10,000 year old history. No mention of the fact that it has the largest population of Jews outside of Israel.
From the lies on Iran or Iraq's non existent nuke weapon program, to the silence on Israel's occupation and 200 working nukes.
Why bother with the movie, Hollywood is propaganda. And like all propaganda you can just choose to turn it off. Like American news.
After Gaza, Lebanon and the 62 year occupation by Israel this propaganda means nothing to those who know the truth.
Here you go Peter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_population#Largest_Jewish_populations_by_country
Also, if I were Iranian, I think I would be more upset by the fact that Frank Miller has chosen to depict your king of kings as a flaming homosexual drag queen.
Can't wait to support this propaganda, hopefully in IMAX (fingers crossed)!
Xerxes would not have looked at himself as a "God King", he was the follower of the standard, monotheistic ancient persian faith, and would have worn the robes of a high priest from Persia as the customary royal guard of that dynasty.
Herodotus himself, who transcribed the events from his perspective and knowledge gathered from speaking to his compatriots mentions that the citizens of the Achaemenid Empire from the Greek nation of Ionia mention Xerxes to be a fair and just in his administration.
Also, badfish, it is fairly obvious that Peter is explaining Iran has the largest Jewish population of the Islamic world. Indeed, Jews have full citizenship rights in Iran, can travel back and fourth from Israel at will, have chosen to stay, and there are plenty of Synagogs in Iran. To those of you who want to be a simpleton in all things and believe Iran is a run of the mill anti-semitic dictatorship you will find yourself on the wrong side of the truth, and ultimately the wrong side of history.
Also, the Persians won the Greek-Persian war when Athens was sacked. Forgot that detail, Hollywood, eh?
The Greeks were great and a worthy opponent to any, I admire their history too. But while it is certainly legal to slander other cultures for entertainment (especially such communities as Iranian-Americans who are quiet and compliant), I think at the very least more attention should be brought to the fact that it is a work of fiction.
EDIT: customary royal garb